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Slalom Powerhouses Comfortably Qualify for Rio

The lions share of places for the Canoe Slalom races at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games have been confirmed following the recent 2015 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships at the Lee Valley White Water Centre in London.

Eight nations secured a place across the four Olympic disciplines – K1M, K1W, C1M, C2M – there are now 12 places up for grabs at the remaining continental qualifiers, for those nations that have not yet booked their spot.

Interestingly, Russia pushed itself into the top tier of nations as one of the eight to ensure that they will contest all four events in Rio – Great Britain, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia were the other seven.

The hosts for next year's Games also secured two direct qualification spots with Ana Satila booking a place in the K1W and Pedro Da Silva in the K1M. Brazil will also gain a boat in the other two events as the Olympic host nation.

Spain with it all to do in K1M

In both the K1M and K1W 18 of the 21 places have been confirmed with Africa, Asia and Europe still able to qualify a boat for each event from their continental competitions (Schedule below).

However, as things stand Spain have only qualified in the women's event with no one in their men's squad able to match Maialen Chourraut's effort and secure next season's South American trip.

They will now have to qualify from the tricky European Championships in Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia next May.

Smolen leads the Americas

Michal Smolen's (USA) exceptional bronze in London reaffirmed his nation's position on the start line in Rio, a position the 22-year-old had previously secured with gold at the PanAm Championships in Mid-July.

China's Li Tong secured her nation's only direct qualification from the World Championships after finishing 12th, but will no doubt have a fierce battle with compatriot Li Lu, who finished just six places behind, for the Rio ticket.

Canada secured their kayak starting positions at next year's event through the PanAm Games, whilst the Cook Island - due to the eligible nations rule - will also have an athlete in men’s and women’s K1 events in Rio and compete Oceania's quota in those events.

Japan start their Olympic canoe charge

Europe controlled the C1M qualification with eight of the 10 direct qualification places going to the sports dominant continent. Casey Eichfeld (USA) and Takuya Habeda (JPN) took the other two direct spots.

There is now just a single place available at each of the four remaining continental qualifiers.

Germany, France, Slovenia, Great Britain, Poland, Slovakia, Russia and the Czech Republic each secured a C2M place in Rio; the rest of the European nations will have a second chance at their continental qualifiers.

After not qualifying directly in London, the USA will take the Americas continental position and Brazil will activate their host nation's prerogative.

This leaves one place for the best nation from Asia that will be allocated following the championships in Toyama, Japan next April.

*No continental qualification race as less than three countries eligible**Second in PanAms (USA first but qualified via World Championships)***HOC quota stays in continent so goes to third at Pan Ams (continenal timed competition)

K1 WOMEN

NOC Rank

NOC

QUOTA RESERVED BY

ATHLETE QUOTA

BOAT QUOTA

1

CZE

Katerina KUDEJOVA

1

1

2

GER

Ricarda FUNK

1

1

3

AUS

Jessica FOX

1

1

4

ESP

Maialen CHOURRAUT

1

1

5

SVK

Jana DUKATOVA

1

1

6

GBR

Elizabeth NEAVE

1

1

7

NZL

Luuka JONES

1

1

8

CHN

Tong LI

1

1

9

BRA

Ana SATILA

1

1

10

AUT

Violetta OBLINGER-PETERS

1

1

11

FRA

Marie-Zelia LAFONT

1

1

12

RUS

Marta KHARITONOVA

1

1

13

SLO

Eva TERCELJ

1

1

14

POL

Natalia PACIERPNIK

1

1

15

JPN

Aki YAZAWA

1

1

16

ITA

Maria Clara GIAI PRON*

1

1

17

Africa

Continental Qualifier

1

1

18

Asia

Continental Qualifier

1

1

19

Europe

Continental Qualifier

1

1

20

COK

Ella NICHOLAS**

1

1

21

CAN

Jazmyne DENHOLLANDER

1

1

* Host Nation place not used so 16th place qualifies **No continental qualification race as less than three countries eligible

C1 MEN

NOC Rank

NOC

QUOTA RESERVED BY

ATHLETE QUOTA

BOAT QUOTA

1

GBR

David FLORENCE*

1

1

2

SLO

Benjamin SAVSEK

1

1

3

USA

Casey EICHFELD**

1

1

4

SVK

Alexander SLAFKOVSKY

1

1

5

FRA

Martin THOMAS

1

1

6

GER

Franz ANTON***

1

1

7

POL

Grzegorz HEDWIG

1

1

8

RUS

Aleksandr LIPATOV

1

1

9

CZE

Michal JANE

1

1

10

JPN

Takuya HANEDA

1

1

11

Africa

Continental Qualifier

1

1

12

Asia

Continental Qualifier

1

1

13

Europe

Continental Qualifier

1

1

14

Oceania

Continental Qualifier

1

1

15

CAN

Cameron SMEDLEY

1

1

16

BRA

HOC

1

1

*Athlete quota earned by GBR in C1M and C2M**Athlete quota earned by USA in C1M and C2M***Athlete quota earned by GER in C1M and C2M